New Zealand 66 Ireland 28: Five-week ban for Heaslip after red card in All Blacks thrashing

The Irish No 8 was sent off 15 minutes into Saturday's 66-28 loss to New Zealand in New Plymouth for twice kneeing All Blacks captain Richie McCaw at a ruck.

Heaslip faced an International Rugby Board judiciary yesterday where he learned his fate from IRB judicial officer Michael Cashman.

His five-week ban is on the mid-range of the scale and rules him out of all rugby up to and including July 17.

The reality is the Leinster man will miss just two games – Friday's match against the New Zealand Maori in Rotorua and the following weekend's Test against Australia.

Saturday's defeat was Ireland's heaviest defeat against the All Blacks.

Outscored by nine tries to four, it was a bad night for the Irish who have failed to beat the New Zealanders in 23 Test matches.

After Heaslip's sending off, the visitors never stood a chance against a fired-up All Blacks outfit and matters just got worse when Ronan O'Gara was sin-binned for cynical play midway through the first period.

By half-time the hosts were 38-7 up after tries by Conrad Smith, Kieran Read, Ben Franks and two for Jimmy Cowan.

Dan Tuohy, who had come on for the injured Mick O'Driscoll, brought a moment of cheer for the Irish with a try just before the break but the good moments were few and far between.

The tries kept coming for both sides in the second spell with Smith, Sam Whitelock (two) and Neemia Tialata going over for the All Blacks and Brian O'Driscoll, Tommy Bowe and Gordon D'Arcy touching down for consolation scores for the Irish.

Ireland team manager Paul McNaughton said Heaslip, who admitted the offence but denied making contact with McCaw's head, got a fair hearing.

"To have him red-carded so early in the game was crucial, although not an excuse. We're disappointed about that," said McNaughton. "But we went to the hearing and Jamie put his hand up in terms of the offence and we were happy with the way the judicial inquiry went."